Company CEOs are faced with dozens of daily decisions as they wrestle with running their companies each day in an ever-changing business atmosphere. However, each year, more and more company leaders have turned to workplace chaplains as a way to meet the ever-changing needs of their employees and family members.

Last year 110 companies, across the U.S. and in four other countries, began using the unique strategic advantage of Marketplace Chaplains, many after first having reservations if the service could work in their companies.

“As you may recall, I was slow to, ‘pull the trigger,’ and I was asked to take a leap of faith,” said Tom Bronson, CEO of Texas-based Rockland Technology Group. “I can truly say this leap of faith has proven to be a great move for me and my company and I would certainly recommend this for what it has done for my company,” Bronson added.

Marketplace Chaplains currently has over 2,800 chaplains serving 587 clients in 3,097 locations across 44 states and 964 cities in the US, where client company leaders are facing the best and the worst that the marketplace has to offer its workers.  The chaplains serve in 23 different industry types, caring for and helping with all manners of hurts and challenges in the daily work schedule.

The growth of Marketplace Chaplains has more than doubled since the terrorist tragedy of 9-11, which took place in the workplace of thousands of employees, both civilian and military.

For Greg Kidd, CEO of Tyler, Texas’ Citizen State Bank and Kidd-Jones Oil Company, it was a work-employee crisis which finally caused him to bring Marketplace Chaplains into his growing East Texas companies.

“I had heard about Marketplace Chaplains and had considered a chaplain but kept putting it off,” said Kidd. “Then we had an employee tragedy and I couldn’t help but think, ‘If we had a chaplain in place he could have talked with someone about his problems’”.

Since then, Kidd said the chaplains in his twin companies have helped employees open up about the frustration that is often a part of the American workplace today.  “Our employees will open up to our chaplains in a way they won’t open up to the boss. It shows how much we truly care as a company,” continued Kidd.

Mike Matetich, Sr., who runs Jupiter Chevrolet in Dallas with his son Michael, was also slow to react to the concept of Marketplace Chaplains, but has seen the great benefit in his workplace.  “I was a military pilot and saw the value of chaplains.  I waited two years before I brought them in and should have done it sooner.” he said.

Marketplace Chaplains Executive President and COO, Richard S. De Witt, came from a business background and knows the rough and tough of the business world which can be addressed by chaplains.  “In the hurts and troubles of the workplace, having a trained, caring, and compassionate Marketplace Chaplain can and has made all the difference for these innovative CEOs and hundreds more.”